Pressure
by Geekery15
Summary: Tension between three agents settles while investigating a case of several dead navy officers.
1. Chapter 1: Missing Necessities

_Title: Pressure_

_Author: Geekery15_

_Rating: PG. 13 for language._

_Genre: General/Casefile/Drama_

_Summary: Tension between three agents settles while investigating a case of several dead navy officers._

_Author's Note: My first attempt at writing an NCIS fan-fiction. Also, I lack a beta so I apologize in advance for any serious spelling and/or grammar mistakes. My philosophy is--it's fan fiction, it's meant to be fun--nothing more.._

_Feedback: Sure, I'm always hungry anyway._

_Disclaimer: The characters of NCIS do not belong to me._

**CHAPTER ONE**

**----------**

**It is Monday morning. The sun is rising . Spring is in the air which means the little twitter birds are out and about. Their chirping is waking anyone who considered themselves to be a light sleeper.**

**

* * *

**

**6:35am**

**DiNozzo wanders aimlessly around his apartment. His shoe and cell phone are missing. His hair is some-what dry, but wet enough to leaves beads of water over everything he leans over while attempting to retrieve two necessities he can not leave home without.**

**It was a long night. AMC had put together a marathon featuring some of the best movies of the 1960's. Their elegance and grace clouded Tony's vision; making him sit through every single feature.**

"**Damn…" He mutters to himself.**

**Now his alarm is having a conniption. He is unsure why, but his hand smacks it off the nightstand because annoyance got to best of him.**

**The ringing of his cell phone makes him stop in his tracks. He waits and listens. He leans over and tears the comforter off his bed. Still nothing. Bending down, he decides to eye his bedroom floor. By now the ringing has annoyed his neighbor so a pounding noise comes from the next wall.**

"**I know! I know!" He yells.**

**Running his long fingers across the boards of his floor, he spots the shoe he is looking for under his bed. Reaching for it, his cell phone presents itself laying inside the heel of his shoe.**

"**Figures." He mutters and grabs his phone. "DiNozzo."**

**He sits on his bed while working on his shoe.**

"**Where the hell are you DiNozzo?"**

"**I'm sorry boss, I--"**

"**I'm not interested in an answer. Get down here."**

"**Where is here?"**

"**The crime scene."**

"**Where is that?"**

**He grabs his keys and locks his front door.**

"**I've got an investigation to conduct. McGee will fill you in."**

**Tony is about to ask another question when McGee speaks.**

"**Uh, it's McGee."**

"**Hiya Probie, what's eating the boss today?"**

**McGee spots Gibbs normally speaking to Ziva while they linger near the dead body.**

"**From the looks of it, nothing." McGee shrugs to himself. "Why?"**

"**Nevermind." Tony grunts. "Give me the location."**

**

* * *

**

**7:55am**

**716 Sicard Street**

**Tony folds his sunglasses while McGee holds his NCIS work jacket in his hand.**

"**Where's the boss?"**

"**He's looking for any witnesses."**

"**Give it to me!" Tony rips the jacket out of McGee's hand. "Do I look like I'm ready for work?"**

"**Are you seriously asking my opinion because if you are I think you would have been ready for work if you had gotten to work on time."**

"**Now's not the time, Probie." Tony narrows his eyes. "We've got work to do."**

**Tony reaches for McGee's camera and rips that out of his hand, too.**

"**Thanks."**

**McGee begins to protest, but Ducky asks for his assistance in helping Mr. Palmer carry out some equipment. So any complaint is put off until a later time. At least McGee hopes. **

**

* * *

**

**Ziva wanders away from Gibbs while he continues to speak to the woman who claims she saw everything.**

**Ziva spots Tony snapping photos of things that have already been captured. A smirk falls on her lips when Tony notices her.**

"**Tony, you're late."**

"**Tell me something I don't know, Ziva." He narrows his eyes at her before he tosses her a look of annoyance and fatigue.**

"**Which one was it?"**

"**What are you talking about?"**

"**Last night. Your lady of the evening. Who is she? She's pretty, I know."**

**He stops using his camera. A blissful grin covers his mouth while he closes his eyes. He figures he might as well have some fun with this situation.**

**Ziva feels a slight twist in the pit of her stomach.**

"**Ava, you mean? Oh, she was a peach."**

**A sigh escapes him.**

"**Looks do not last forever, Tony. It is only a matter of time before the aging process begins and wrinkles become noticeable."**

"**Jealous?" He is hopeful.**

"**Meh." She shrugs. "I was just curious. With an evening like yours I would have not expected you to have woken up on the wrong side of the spread."**

"**Wrong side of the bed, Ziva." He corrects her.**

**She tosses him a look and one more shrug before looking down at her writing pad.**

**

* * *

**

**Gibbs eyes the information in his pad. The woman leaves the area to go about her daily business.**

**A slight feeling of worry washes over him. He is thinking about Ziva's comments to Tony. He knows he is wrong. He knows he should not have listened. It is too late. He knows.**

**She is jealous. Tony is wanting. He is in misery.**

"**Boss, I think we've got all the evidence we need."**

**Gibbs stares at Tony without saying a word.**

"**Boss…it's all right here." Tony shakes the camera in his hand.**

"**I got it the first time, DiNozzo!"**

**Tony's shoulders tense. Gibbs pushes past him.**

"**Ducky, Palmer--we're all set. Ready to go whenever--"**

"**Agent Gibbs, we're all set too." Palmer informs him.**

**Gibbs nods and begins his walk to the truck.**

**Tony catches up to Ziva and McGee.**

"**Ever think he could use a date once in a while?" Tony wonders out loud.**

"**He's dedicated to his work." Ziva replies.**

"**There's always time for pleasure." Tony remarks.**

"**Maybe the boss already has someone." McGee mentions.**

**The three of them walk on in thought about their boss and his 'could-be' personal life. **


	2. Chapter 2: Beginning Orders

**Chapter Two**

**----------**

_8:35am  
NCIS HQ_

**McGee exit's the elevator. Then Tony and Ziva. Gibbs lingers behind his team; watching them.**

**Tony lingers around Ziva's desk. He is badgering her for shits and giggles. She mocks annoyance until a loud noise escapes Gibbs's area of their offices.**

**"I was just asking Ziva what her opinions were on…"**

**Tony trails on. He notices that the deeper into explanation he goes, the deeper the shade of red on Gibbs's face becomes.**

**"Going to my desk. Right now."**

**He rounds his desk and takes a seat.**

**"What have we got?" Gibbs questions Ziva.**

**"No identification on the body. We need to wait for either Ducky or Abby."**

**Gibbs grunts like Tony had had earlier. He gives a half-disgusted look in Tony's general direction. Tony catches the look, but he does not question it. He knows better.**

**"McGee!"**

**"Uh, yes boss?!" Mcgee shoots out of his chair.**

**"Find out if other agency's have dealt with the same type of murder in the last month or so."**

**"You think it's a copy-cat murder?"**

**"I don't know." Gibbs answers annoyingly. "It's your job to give me answers to these questions. Get a move on it!"**

**"I'm on it boss!" Mcgee types feverishly at this desk.**

**"No wounds found on the body. I assume it's poison." Tony was matter-of-fact. "Everything else seems unlikely.**

**"DiNozzo, find out if Ducky needs your assistance."**

**Tony knits his eyebrows. His feet descend from his desk.**

**"Me? Boss…" He smirks. "Why would Ducky need my assistance?"**

**"Why would you be questioning what I am telling you to do?"**

**Tony stands from his desk and follows the orders he is given.**

**"Abby should have the fingerprints by now." He tells Ziva.**

**"Are you so sure she has the results already?"**

**"No, but waiting for them couldn't hurt."**

**Ziva nods slightly before following the orders she was given.**

**Gibbs glances quickly at McGee who is engrossed in his work. Leaning back in his chair, he tries to control his anger. He feels that it has slipped all morning.**

**----------**

_10:15am  
NCIS HQ_

**McGee announces his discovery. He reaches for the clicker, but Tony grabs it out of his hand before he clicks the button to display the information on the big screen.**

**"I found it, Tony!" McGee is upset.**

**"We're a team, McCryBaby. What's yours is mine and what's mine is mine." Tony shakes his finger at McGee. "Haven't you any respect for your Senior Agent?"**

**Gibbs whacks the back of Tony's head. The clicker flies out of Tony's hand. Ziva catches it.**

**"Do you mind, McGee?"**

**"No." McGee is honest.**

**Ziva clicks the button. The information presents itself on the big screen.**

**"What am I looking at?" Gibbs asks.**

**"Six Navy Officers found dead through what we still assume to be poison…" Ziva nods in Tony's direction. "Nothing in common besides their race."**

**"This is a Hate Crime, then?" Gibbs asks.**

**"From the looks of it…it's the only thing we have to go on." Ziva agreed.**

**Gibbs felt frustrated. Ziva stood, waiting for more questions. Tony lingered behind Ziva; more interested in finding out what she kept in and on her desk. McGee stood by his boss waiting for new instructions.**

**"Where'd you find this information?" Gibbs asks McGee.**

**"…FBI database."**

**Gibbs shudders as Fornell flashes across his mind. McGee notices the slight shift in the air.**

**"I wormed my way through without them knowing and I wormed my way out without them knowing."**

**"DiNozzo!" Gibbs shouts.**

**Tony drops Ziva's cell phone on her desk. He looks at her sheepishly.**

**"Tony, what are you doing?"**

**"I was uh--" He is not quick enough.**

**"Ducky should be finishing up right about now." Gibbs speaks to Tony. "Stop screwing around and get down there."**

**Tony ponders for a moment. He wavers on the idea of asking Gibbs why he does not do it himself, but he decides to keep his mouth closed.**

**"Ziva, you're with me."**

**"Where?"**

**"Someone's got to inform his family." Gibbs reaches for his gun and badge inside his desk drawer. "McGee, find his address, then call me."**


	3. Chapter 3: Utilize Other Surroundings

**Chapter Three**

_10:22am_

"Ah, I see you are back Tony."

"Boss told me I should come to you for answers."

He watches Ducky turn the facet.

Ducky scrubs at his hands with the lathery soap.

"That is just like Jethro. You know, I can not think of a time where he has ever been patient. Well, if I account for the time--"

"Ducky I really should be getting on with the case."

Ducky hums in agreement. His long story has officially come to an end.

"Methanol is our culprit in the case of our dead navy officer."

"Methanol?" Tony ponders. "So he was poisoned."

"Very much so, but I will need to conduct further tests to find which way it was used to kill him."

"So he didn't ingest it?"

"No…no. The contents of his stomach consist of coffee and a pastry."

"Yummy." Tony clears his throat. "How long will it take?"

"If I work closely with Abby, we might be able to get you the answers you are looking for much faster."

Tony nodded, then turned on his heels. When he reached the elevator doors, he caught Gibbs standing off to the side.

"Find what killed him?"

Gibbs keeps his back pressed against the wall.

"Methanol."

"Poison."

"Well--yeah." Tony caught the look of death. "He didn't ingest it."

"Ducky furthering his autopsy?"

"A bit. With Abby." Tony wonders why the elevator hasn't arrived. "I would assume someone was conducting a private meeting, but you're standing right here…"

"Why were you late this morning, DiNozzo?"

"…I over slept?"

Gibbs squints his eyes. He is trying to read Tony.

"Is that a question?"

"…Would a statement make you less angry?" Tony is slightly nervous.

"No."

"It's a question." Tony decides.

Gibbs squints his eyes again. He pushes his back off the wall and stands directly in front of Tony.

"Ziva called you this morning."

"I must have slept through it." Tony eyes him uneasily. "Was anything the matter?"

"Well you would have known if you would have been more responsible."

Gibbs turns his attention to the elevator.

Tony stands still. He holds his breath.

"She arrived to work on Time so I assume that whatever her problem was she solved it."

"She called me!" Gibbs growls. "She was on time because I picked her up."

"Where was she?" Tony is curious now.

"She took the wrong bus."

"There's always the use of a cab." Tony replied a tad bit bitterly.

"She left her wallet at the dealer."

"But she's alright?" Tony asks to get some sort of reassurance.

Gibbs slams his palm against the elevator doors. The sound bounces off the steel, cool doors. The pain lingers in the center of his palm and the tips of his fingers. He turns to his side faster than Tony can realize what is happening.

"Yeah--she's alright, but I'm not!" Gibbs is centimeters from Tony's face. "Don't you get it, DiNozzo?"

"…I'm afraid to answer…"

Gibbs's stomach turns at the ridiculous look on Tony's face. He thinks it is a joke.

"Is this a game to you?"

"No." Tony replies.

"Then wipe that damn smirk off your face. Do you know what we do for a living? We're Federal Agents. Do you know how we communicate with each other? We open our mouths. What if we're not near one another? We use our goddamn cell phones. Do we act selfish? NO! We don't because we have partners to look after!"

Gibbs's face is red. He is out of breath.

Tony stands there. His shoulders are tense. He is afraid to speak.

"This is why you're here right now. This is why you're finding information instead of working on the field. You didn't earn your chance to come along with us today. You stay here."

"But boss, I'm a field Agent. I do my best work on the field."

"Learn to utilize other surroundings."

"…But boss!" He finds himself whining.

"McGee handles both surroundings without a problem."

"Probie?" Tony huffs with a tinge of jealousy. "He froze the first time he had to draw his gun."

"At least he's on time, DiNozzo."

Gibbs leaves Tony with a smirk. Walking over to the stairwell, he opens the door.

"Get a move on it DiNozzo, we haven't got all day."

Tony stands there. Slightly upset. Slightly angry. Slightly confused.


	4. Chapter 4: Everything's a Game

* * *

**CHAPTER 4**

**It is a little after noon. The cars on the highway are bumper to bumper due to an accident.**

**Gibbs pushes against the drivers seat. He sighs; checks the clock on the dash-board.**

"**My father always told me to be on time…" Ziva begins.**

"**It wasn't a problem." He speaks curtly. **

**He keeps the flutter in his stomach under control. He realizes his tone was rather rough.**

"**DiNozzo would have done the same thing if he had paid more attention to the world outside of himself."**

**Ziva smirks at the slight ramble.**

"**Tony has grown, no?"**

"**Maybe a smidge, if that." Gibbs presses the gas pedal a bit. "He should know better. I taught him better."**

"**Everyone makes mistakes."**

"**And everyone never apologizes for them."**

"**Apologies are a sign of weakness, no?"**

**She is serious. She is not teasing him.**

**He clears his throat. He tries to find something--anything, to change the direction of the conversation.**

"**I need to get this radio fixed."**

'**You said that the last time."**

"…**Still on my agenda…" He realizes she wants conversation. "I have prior commitments.'**

**Ziva's quick to think of Tony's comments earlier that morning.**

"**You never speak much of your personal life."**

"**It's 'personal'."**

"**We are members of your team. You trust us with your life while on the job. Why not off the job?"**

"**Oh I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was in for interrogation today. Remind me to call my lawyer once we're out of this jam."**

**He is annoyed.**

**She sees his face fluster.**

**A phone rings. The shrill of the tone echoes through the car. Gibbs answers.**

"**Gibbs."**

"**Gibbs!" Abby shrieks into the phone. "How are you today?"**

"**Could be better. Got anything or me, Abs?"**

"**Methanol."**

"**Tell me something I don't know." He puts on his blinker.**

"**Gibbs!" Abby whines. "Give me a chance to continue."**

"…**What have ya got, Abs?"**

"**Okay, so Methanol--not exactly your everyday poison considering it's much easier to purchase rat poisoning at the store--"**

"**ABBY!"**

"**Okay, right, back on track--sorry about that. He was injected with it."**

"**How'd Ducky miss that during the autopsy?"**

"**Ah, Jethro--he was injected between his toes. I very rarely thoroughly check there."**

"**Hey Gibbs do ya wanna know what prompted Ducky to look there?" She is excited.**

"**No." Gibbs tone is flat. "How can someone get their hands on Methanol?"**

"**It's used in fuel and other automotive substances, Jethro. Perhaps anti-freeze."**

"**Did anti-freeze come back on the toxicology report?"**

"**No, but where else could your average person get a hold of pure Methanol?"**

"**Who says we're dealing with an average person, Duck?"**

**The traffic clears. Gibbs sighs a sigh of relief.**

"**Average person might be putting it lightly. Perhaps an average maniac would better suit this case."**

"**Keep looking."**

"**For what, Gibbs?" Abby is back--somewhat breathless.**

"**Anything that could help clear this case."**

**Gibbs ends the call. Placing his phone inside his cup holder, he reaches into the other one for his coffee.**

"**Were the other victims injected as well?"**

"**McGee has the answer to that question and by the time we get back, he better know the correct one."**

**

* * *

**

**DiNozzo uses his raspy voice to persuade the woman over the phone to give him the balcony seating.**

"**I'll make it worth your while." His tone is a lustful leer.**

"**I would be your date if it was worth my while."**

**He grins, then pauses for a moment.**

"**Tell you what--if it doesn't work out and she rejects me, I'll take you up on your subtle offer."**

"**Tony, I've seen you wine and dine so many women since I have worked here that I feel I am such a long way from the front of the line."**

"**Don't get too upset about it."**

**The woman laughs while marking his name in the reservation book.**

"**I gave you the best that I could."**

"**You gave me the 'only' best that you could?" He is hopeful.**

"**Just make sure you don't bail on these reservation--and you owe me."**

"**I'll consider myself 'owned' until further notice."**

**The elevator doors 'bing'. Gibbs waits for Ziva to pass through. He then follows closely behind her.**

**She spots Tony before anything in the room catches her eye. She knows he made a call.**

"**That phone call about the case?"**

"**Well see, I…" He feels himself grow small in front of his boss. "No--not really."**

"**Not really DiNozzo, or no--not at all?"**

"**Your version seems more true to the fact."**

**Tony holds his breathe while Gibbs feels a smug satisfaction for his slight power over his Senior Agent.**

"**Where's McGee?"**

"**Abby's lab." Tony answers, then notices the look. "…And I'm on my way to go get the Elf-Lord…"**

**Gibbs steps out of Tony's path. A smug satisfaction feeling gets a hold of him once again.**

"**Ziva."**

"**I'll brainstorm until the others arrive. Then we will have a cape-fire."**

"**Camp-fire." Gibbs corrects her which he seldom does. "I was actually going to ask you something else."**

**Ziva stands from her computer chair.**

"**Do you like it when DiNozzo does…what he does?" He squints.**

**She is standing there; thinking. Her eyes burn holes into his.**

"**And what does this mean?" She shrugs. "What does 'does what he does' mean?"**

"**When he bothers you. When he picks on you. When he constantly corrects you. When he appears to be available only to be unavailable when you need him the most."**

"**I don't understand, he's my partner. Isn't that what partners do?" She waits for a moment. "I see it in your American movies all the time."**

"**Tony's idea of being partners comes out of the contents of a Three Stooges movie." He explains. "It's all fun and games."**

"**As is Tony." She finds no real problem with it. "He's my work partner, not my life partner."**

**Gibbs holds his tongue. He wants to tell her that it bothers him. It works his last fucking nerve when Tony takes her for granted, but he doesn't.**

**Tony arrives with McGee. Their private conversation is officially over.**

**

* * *

**

**Ziva makes eye contact with McGee while she shares her theory.**

"**It could be." McGee states.**

"**The spouse is the 99.9 percent of the time, the usual suspect."**

"**Highly unlikely." Ziva sticks to her gut.**

"**What makes you so sure Agent David?"**

**Gibbs is at his desk--somewhat ignoring the event in front of his eyes.**

"**If this is a hate crime, we're dealing with a person and or persons that have a serious problem with a persons nationality."**

"**Right--and the dead officer downstairs is married to a white woman."**

"**We spoke with her. She seemed genuinely devastated."**

"**Let me guess, she left her mouth open for a minute before she let out a loud cry?"**

**Ziva's mouth tightened.**

"**Come on Ziva, that's the oldest trick in the book."**

"**Is my gut the oldest trick in the book?"**

"'**Course not boss…"**

"**Good, because my gut is telling me that his wife has nothing to do with his death."**

**Tony looked at Gibbs. McGee's eyes bounced around between the three of them. He felt somewhat uneasy.**

"**Pull up the victims pictures." Gibbs orders McGee. "There could be another clue we are overlooking.**

"**Like what boss?"**

"**Well DiNozzo, you're a certified agent--maybe you can find it before the rest of us can." He leaned in further to Tony's face. "We can even make it a game since you seem to respond to stupidity well."**

**Tony took Gibbs verbal abuse, but he thought about a reason why.**

**

* * *

**

_7:20pm_

**It is night time. The dim lights from their desk make their area feel warm and safe.**

"**Ziva!"**

**She stills her hands. Her keys hovering below her. She tilts her head and looks beyond her computer screen.**

"**Yes Tony?"**

"**You hungry?"**

**She shrugs.**

"**As in…"**

"**I could go with or without a meal at the moment."**

"**Well what if I paid?"**

"…**did you put something it?"**

"**In what?!" He is in disbelief.**

"**In whatever it is you are willing to pay for in order for me to eat it?"**

"**I'm asking you to dinner, Ziva." He seems bothered. "I won't be cooking a thing."**

"**Hmm…thank you Tony, but it'll have to wait."**

"**Wait?" He pulls at the collar of his shirt. "Anthony DiNozzo doesn't wait around for a woman."**

"**That's because he is somewhat delusional." She chides**

"**Could we not refer to myself in the third person?"**

**Ziva looks to McGee's desk. Her gaze travels back to Tony's face. Her expression is confused.**

"**It is only you and I, Tony."**

"**Third person, Ziva. You know…first person, third person…"**

**She is unaware of where this conversation is going or what it means.**

"…**Nevermind."**

**Ziva shrugs to herself more than to Tony, then continues her typing.**

**Tony grabs his things and exits for the night.**

**

* * *

**

**Gibbs rounds his desk. His fresh coffee scent intoxicates his brain cells for a bit.**

"**That'll spoil your dinner."**

**He whips around and sees her.**

"**No sugar. No cream. It's not exactly a delicious treat."**

"**I wanted to thank you for going out of your way this morning…" She finds an interest in her feet.**

**Gibbs feels the presence of his coffee in his hand feel hotter than usual. He sets it down on top of his desk.**

"**Don't mention it." His voice is stern.**

"**I'll cook--my treat to you."**

**The bitter tastes of coffee on this tongue just became a twinge sweeter.**

"**I'll do the dishes."**

"**Agreed."**

**She stuck out her hand for him to shake.**


	5. Chapter 5: He Expects More

**Chapter 5**

_8:00pm_

Gibbs takes his plate then leans against one of the counters in her kitchen.

"Typical American." She mutters.

He grins slightly to himself. He spots a chair at the table so he walks over to it and sits down.

"This'll do?"

"For now." She sits across the table from him. "In my country there's always time for family."

"Americans follow such traditions, too."

"As they do while flipping you off in their vehicles."

Gibbs raises his eyebrows while he takes a bite.

"I may not be the brightest when it comes to American customs, but I'm getting there."

He grins at this new information. He grins at her company.

"I thought in your line of work, there was no time for anything quite…like this." He waves his fork in front of him.

Ziva grows quiet. Her food becoming her biggest focal point.

Gibbs feels the shift in the atmosphere.

"I didn't mean it the way it sounded." He tries to explain.

The corners of her mouth move in an upwards fashion. She welcomes his could-be apology

* * *

_11:11pm_

Dinner was scrumptious. It differed from takeout so it was a treat on Gibbs's list. It differed from takeout so it was a treat on Ziva's list. Work was to blame for their rushed, sloopy, and unhealthy meals throughout the months.

He sits near her window. He studies her bookshelf.

"Are you a reader?"

"No…" He shifts at the thought. "I could be."

"You build in your spare time." She states.

"I do." He lays his eyes on hers. "You should come over sometime--help me sand the boat."

"I've heard through the gripe-vine that you've had a few people over already."

"DiNozzo will tell you anything to create gossip." He chuckles at Tony's way of being and the error of her word.

"So he lied?"

He waits silently. He is studying the way the light touches her face.

"No." He waits again. "He didn't lie."

"What makes you think I do not know how to sand a boat?"

"I don't know." He shrugs. "Maybe we can swap sanding ideas."

"Sort of…like I show you mine if you show me yours?"

He detected more in that phrase than he ever thought he would.

"Exactly…like that." His voice is gravelly. His eyes dark. "So…what's next Agent David?"

* * *

_5:35am_

He awakes in the middle of the night. He looks to his left. Ziva is asleep. He checks his watch. It is nearly time for them to dress for work.

* * *

_7:55am_

McGee notices Tony's inability to sit comfortably in her desk chair.

"What the hell happened to you?"

"Now's not the time Probie." He hisses.

"Did one of your many girlfriends find you with one…of your many girlfriends?"

McGee does not try to hide the grin that spreads across his face.

"I was mugged last night." He holds an icepack he put together at home to his lip. "I had to take the bus today because I can't seem to see out of my right eye."

"Having to take the bus. Ouch Tony, it must suck to be you right about now."

"The only people that suck are those named Elf Lord." He glares.

McGee pouts.

"Where's Gibbs?"

"Don't know. I was the first one in this morning."

"Ziva?"

"Just you and I, Tony." McGee types away at his computer.

Tony stops thinking about the aftermath of his perfect face to ponder Ziva.

"Her car still in the shop?"

"I guess." McGee is too wrapped up in his emails.

"I should call her."

"Already did." McGee looks at him. "I phoned Gibbs, too."

"The boss and Ziva are missing…" Tony ponders while rubbing his chin, until he feels a jab of pain. "Should we notify the Director?"

"Do you want to make that call?"

"Well as Senior Agent…" McGee shoots Tony a look. "No. Not really."

"He probably got caught in traffic driving her here." McGee mentions. " Or maybe dinner was over a little late last night."

"Dinner?" Tony shoots out of his chair. "Gibbs invited Ziva over for dinner?"

"She invited him over for dinner."

"She's never invited me over for dinner."

"Don't feel so bad Tony, although her cooking is quite good even you should get a chance to try it."

"Even McDorkster has been over for dinner?" Tony speaks out loud to himself. "I wonder why she's never invited me."

"Perhaps your arrogance?"

"I have my good points just like everyone else, McMeanie." He quickly growls at McGee.

The elevator bings. The doors open; Ziva walks out. Gibbs is nowhere to be found.

"Aha!" Tony snaps and points, a wide grin on his face. "The woman of the hour!"

"Good Morning to you as well, Tony."

He crosses the space between their desks.

"Aren't you going to ask me what happened to my face?" He points with his two index fingers.

Ziva looks to McGee.

"It wasn't one of his girlfriends." He assures her.

"Are you alright, Tony?"

"Well I could be better, but I can handle it." He is macho. "It's nothing I can't take."

"Fine."

She logs into her computer without another word.

Tony stands there; lingering.

He expects more.

She knows it.


	6. Chapter 6: Stakeout

**Chapter 6**

8:10am

**The elevator bings. Gibbs steps out with a steaming hot cup of his infamous coffee.**

"**Good Morning Boss." Tony quips quickly.**

**Gibbs slows his steps and looks at his face.**

"**You alright?"**

"**I got mugged last night."**

"**Girlfriend?" Gibbs asks; his expression is one of concern.**

"**No, an actual bad guy who needed money real bad."**

"**You stop the guy?"**

"**Just about the second he was going for my baby…" He trails on for a bit. "…My car…"**

"**You gonna be okay for the remainder of the day?"**

"**Do I have a choice?"**

**Tony waits patiently while Ziva and McGee still their hands and listen for anything as little as a pin to drop.**

"**Would I ask you if you didn't?" Gibbs stands there, cup of coffee still steaming in his hand.**

"…**Is this a trick question?"**

"**Do ya think, DiNozzo?"**

"…**I'm not sure."**

**Gibbs balances on his two feet. He wants to take a sip of his coffee, but he wants DiNozzo's answer first.**

"…**I think I'll be alright. A few more hours with an ice pack on my eye and I should be ready to go."**

"**No time!" Gibbs declares while shuffling to his desk..**

**McGee sees the moment to jump the gun. He stands from his computer chair and leans forwards a bit.**

"**Where to boss?"**

"**Stakeout." Gibbs opens his drawer to get his gun and badge.**

**Tony's eyes become large. His excitement evident.**

"**I think I'll be good for the day." He feels the rush to his toes. "Ziva and I will take--"**

"**Ziva and I will take the Navy yard. You two keep an eye on his wife."**

**Tony left his mouth open longer than he should have.**

"**Do I sense a protest, Agent DiNozzo?" Gibbs burns his eyes into his.**

"**No boss."**

"**Alright then--get movin'. We've got a case to solve."**

**McGee is behind him as they walk to the elevator.**

"**Agent David! DiNozzo!"**

"**He's supposed to call me first." Tony mutters while stuffing his gun in his hostler.**

"**You lost some of his respect." Ziva states.**

"**Did he say that?"**

"**Something I sense, Tony."**

**Ziva pushes past him with a smirk.**

**He swallows in uncertainty.**

**

* * *

**

10:25am

**Ziva sips a bit of Gibbs coffee.**

**His eyes are closed and his head rests against the back of the chair.**

"**I wasn't finished."**

"**I know."**

**He smirks at her challenging tone. Opening his eyes, he glances at her.**

"**Finish it."**

**She looks at him and he shrugs. She shrugs herself and places the cup back in the cup holder. He shrugs to himself, then takes a look out the window.**

"**We haven't found anything…or anyone." She states**

"**Doesn't mean there's nothing here." He fights the urge to sigh. He knows she could be right. "We haven't got anything else to go on anyway. We know it's a hate crime, but everything else is vague."**

**Ziva focuses her attention on the janitor pushing his cleaning cart through the side door of the Navy yard.**

**Gibbs notices her concentration and peers out his window. Straining against his seat belt, he rips it off quietly and leans into her side of the car.**

**She can feel him near. His body heat radiating through his suit jacket and polo shirt. She voluntarily pushes back a bit.**

**A slight jolt through his stomach causes his heart to skip a beat. Her signal of 'wanting' him near makes him realize that perhaps his gray hair and his frown lines actually do not stand in the way.**

**He sighs; his slight doubt and insecurities find themselves at an ultimate high.**

"**Cleaner."**

"**Janitor." He mutters near the back of her head.**

"**Do you suppose Tony and McGee have found something?"**

**With that question, she breaks the spell. He nearly flings himself into the area of the car while his doubts reappear.**

"**Don't know."**

**His tone is flat, his insides slowly shifting back to their usual density. Any trace of gooey softness he seldom feels and shows have disappeared.**

**Ziva inhales sharply. She can almost feel what he is feeling. A part of her mind scolds her for breaking the comfortable air between and around them while the other half pats her on the shoulder for keeping a distance between work and pleasure.**

**

* * *

**

12:30pm

**Empty McDonald fry cartons litter the backseat of the company car. DiNozzo is sleeping, a bit of drool sliding down through the left side of his mouth onto his shoulder.**

**The right side of McGee's mouth shifts upward as he feels his stomach muscles contract.**

**Reaching into his lunch bag he places a napkin on top of Tony's chest as it rises and falls.**

"**Clean yourself off, Tony." He says loudly. "Gibbs could show up at any second."**

"**Relax, Probie." He takes then napkin anyway. "Don't you know being uptight limits your fun?"**

"**I happen to be a very fun person."**

**McGee catches the corniness in his own statement, but never tries to alter it.**

"**I have my own kind of fun Tony. You know, less danger and with a consideration of care for those around me."**

"**You don't know what fun is." Tony cracks up. "And loose that turtle neck, you look like a sophisticated writer."**

"**I am a writer, Tony." McGee is annoyed.**

"**Ah-ah." Tony shakes his finger. "But you aren't a supplicated one. Not yet…" He plucks McGee's suit jacket. "Lose the suit or buy a new one."**

**McGee pouts while gliding his hand up and down his jacket.**

"**What's wrong with it?"**

"…" **Tony closes his mouth.**

"**There's nothing wrong with my jacket--or my suit." McGee informs him.**

"**It's ugly. Something about the color…"**

"**It's a black suit."**

"**Texture…"**

"**It's a usual suit texture."**

"**You?" Tony raises his eyebrows.**

"**Me?"**

"**You're ugly, that's why the suits ugly."**

"**Hey!" McGee roars.**

"**Easy Probie, we're on duty." He straightens himself in the drivers seat.**

"**If you were taking this seriously you wouldn't have left to fetch us lunch."**

"**I only went because I have you here." He grinned with an attitude. "Nobody likes a cry-baby, McGeek."**

"**Mature Tony. Very mature."**

"**I try."**

**McGee shifts his attention to the dead Navy Officer's home. His wife's car is outside in the driveway. The sprinkler rotates on their freshly cut green lawn.**

"**Place looks pretty good for someone who just lost their husband."**

"**A tragic loss doesn't mean a home can't be maintained." McGee says. "I cleaned my apartment the day grandmother passed away."**

**Tony made weird eyes at the back of McGee's head.**

"**Not everyone's weird like you, McWeirdo." Tony shook his head; trying to rid his mind of McGee's weirdness. "What do you think they had?"**

"**They?" McGee shrugged. "A perfectly normal marriage…love, fighting…some more love…financial problems…"**

**Tony whacked McGee in the back of his head. McGee felt it and began flinging his arms towards Tony's face.**

"**ALRIGHT!" Tony wailed. "Enough's enough…besides I don't want to lay you on the pavement."**

**McGee's face began to cool; its redness slowly decreases.**

"**I meant Ziva and Gibbs."**

**McGee's forehead creases.**

"**I don't know." He is hardly interested. "Ask either of them."**

"**Should I flip a coin?"**

**McGee looks at Tony with a sarcastic look.**

"**Okay. It's settled. I'll ask Ziva."**

**McGee gave him a quick smirk before returning to his work.**

"**Why do you suppose Gibbs has us on stakeout so early?"**

"**We've been over this before Tony." Annoyance drips from McGee's tone. "Not every stakeout needs to be done in the dark nor do we need to arrive dressed for an undercover operation."**

**Tony shook his head while pursing his lips.**

"**I know that Probie, but this was done on a whim."**

"**It's Gibbs."**

"**Gibbs isn't exactly Mr. Spontaneous."**

"**Here, Tony." McGee pushes his cell phone into Tony's personal space. "Call our boss and ask him why he chose to put us all on a stakeout at this time of day." He wiggles the phone. "Go on Tony."**

"**No. I don't want to." He slightly pouts.**

"**Come on…" McGee wiggles the phone again. "Be that Senior Agent I know you can be."**

**Tony glares at him.**

**McGee stuffs his cell back in his pocket.**

"**Chicken." McGee mutters.**

"**As Senior Agent, get back to work, Probie."**

"**Yes, Tony."**

**McGee keeps the wicked grin on his face.**

**Tony grumbles to himself.**

**

* * *

**

3:00pm  
NCIS HQ

**Tony paces the floor between their desks. His face is stern. No hint of humor present on his face.**

**McGee tries to focus on finding a lead--any lead.**

**Tony stops and stares at Ziva's desk. The temptation to prowl through it itches the tips of his fingers. His mouth opens and a puff of air escapes him.**

"**I wouldn't touch that, Tony."**

**Tony calls McGee a swear name under his breath before sitting in his desk.**

"**Gibbs could have relieved her--had one of us come in." Tony thinks out-loud.**

"**Let it go Tony." McGee continues to type. "Whatever you don't know might be goo for you."**

"**You think?"**

**McGee leans closer to his computer screen while reading.**

**Tony looks at him waiting for an answer.**

**McGee never answers.**

**Feeling restless and lazy, he jumps off of his chair.**

"**Tony…" McGee says in a warning tone.**

"**I'm going down to see Abby!"**

**McGee watches the back of Tony until he disappears.**

**

* * *

**

**3:45pm**

**Tony walks into Abby's lab while her metal must blasts through her stereo speakers. The trinkets near her computer vibrate uncontroably. Without a single word--or shout, Tony turns the music down by touching the dial.**

"**Gibbs!" Abby shrieks, then notices Tony's face. "Oh…Tony…" She makes a face. "I'm losing my touch. Note to self: Must fix Gibbs Radar--something's hinky."**

**Tony grinned at Abby's unusual usualness.**

"**What's up Tony?" She waits; eyes somewhat innocent.**

"**Find anything?"**

"**Not a darn thing." She frowns. "I'm still trying though."**

"**Well…I'm not Gibbs so you won't get any scolds from me."**

"**Or Caf-Pow." Her frown deepens. "Come on bro, hook a sista up."**

**She flashes a peace sign. Tony cracks into a wide-tooth smile.**

"**You don't really need to get me a Caf-Pow." She mingles her fingers in front of him. "I was just trying to get you to smile. You seem down."**

"**Really?" He breaks into an unsure grin. "I am Anthony DiNozzo, I don't have time to be down."**

**She stands there in front of him. Her face a seldom shade of serious.**

"**What's really wrong, Tony?"**

**He lets out of a laugh while he rubs the hair at the back of his head. His face turns a slight shade of pink.**

"**Girl problems?" Abby does her best doctor impression.**

"**It's nothing Abs." He lies. "I've just got a few things on my mind."**

**Abby nods in an understanding manner.**

"**So I'll let you get back to doing your work…" He walks over to her stereo and turns up the volume by rotating the dial.**

**He leaves her with a grin.**

**She waves to him frantically. **


	7. Chapter 7: Tapes

**Chapter Seven**

**7:45pm  
NCIS HQ**

McGee steadies his quick hands because he is out of outlets in which he should continue searching in.

Tony is relaxing. His eyes are close. He is imitating his favorite actors in their best action adventures just to amuse himself and pass the time.

* * *

**7:55pm**

Ziva slows her steps while in the staircase. After a moment or so she completely stops. Resting her back against the wall she tries to get a hold of her emotions.

Her heart is in the right place, but her mind wanders with uncertainty.

She never thought she would ever feel like this.

* * *

**8:30pm**

Tony nearly lands on his ass when McGee says hello to Ziva.

"Find anything?" Tony's question is on the case, but his mind is reeling with endless questions for his partner.

"No." She is flippant.

He stands there wondering why she chose to answer him in such a way, but he refuses to get into anything 'serious' in front of McGee.

"This case is going nowhere." He mutters.

"It just went somewhere…"

The three Agents turn their heads in the direction of Gibbs's voice.

Gibbs moves to the side as a dead body lies on the floor of the elevator.

"Not exactly what I'd call room service…"

No one made a comment at Tony's offhand joke.

* * *

**9:55pm**

"I want every security tape in and outside this building grabbed." Gibbs held his breath. "NOW! GO! NOW!"

McGee was the first one to leave his desk.

Ziva followed quickly without any hesitation.

"Think it's one of us?" Tony asks his superior.

"Could be, DiNozzo."

Tony feels his last nerve snap in half at the gruff tone Gibbs gave him.

"At the result of sounding like I'm full of myself for talking about myself…yet again, enough's enough boss." He let out a heartless chuckle. "Don't you think I suffered enough for one lousy mistake?"

Gibbs sat in his chair and squinted at Tony.

"Ziva wasn't even in any trouble. What's the big deal?"

"It's the principle that counts." Gibbs tells him straightforward. "You're supposed to be on-call at all times."

"Really?" Tony finds that hard to believe. "So when you escape spontaneously for a weekend and you leave your cell phone buried somewhere in your basement along with your godforsaken boat…" He stops when Gibbs begins to glare. "…And you tell the rest of us to enjoy our weekend…we're supposed to be on-call, too?"

"Do you get paid to question me?"

"It's a legit question."

"The only thing legit is that dead body in the elevator!" He pushes himself away from his desk. "Help the others gather those tapes, DiNozzo--you're wasting time!"

Tony literally bit his tongue before stalking off.

Gibbs gets on his phone and phones Ducky. He hates to call him in at such an hour, but he is needed.

* * *

**10:35pm**

McGee and Ziva appeared with their hands full the security tapes from around the building.

"Split the pile." Gibbs orders. "Find a room with a TV in it and start looking for anyone or anything that put that body here."

Tony grabs a few from Ziva while leaving McGee with his huge pile. McGee glares momentarily at Tony's rudeness, but grabs the control for their big screen.

"No fair McGee!" Tony growls in a low whisper.

"It's just a television, Tony." He smugly grins.

"Oh yeah? Then let me have this one while you prance around finding another one?"

"First of all…I do not prance." McGee looks as if he is going to polish his nails against his suit jacket just for good measure. "Second of all…no."

"Come on." Ziva calls for him. "This way, Tony."

Gibbs hears the conversations between his Agents, but makes no move to threaten and/or scold anyone of them.

"You're lucky I'm needed elsewhere, Probie."

McGee rolls his eyes at Tony's idiotic ways before stuffing a tape into the VCR that he has hooked up to his computer.

"Separate rooms." Gibbs tells them.

Ziva nods at Gibbs while Tony fights the urge to ask why.

* * *

**11:15pm**

Gibbs eyes the footage in front of him while McGee holds the clicker in his hand.

"How many more McGee?'

McGee looks at the remaining tapes while Gibbs looks over his shoulder.

"Give the rest to DiNozzo."

"What if he's not finished with his pile?" He asks as he pauses the tape.

"He's got a real sharp eye." He grabs his weapon and his badge from his desk. "I'm gonna go check on Ducky's progress. Do me a favor, call Abby and tell her to get down here."

"But…she's at a concert." McGee waits. "…With all that loud music, she won't hear any phone ringing much less hers."

"It vibrates."

"…What?"

"It Vibrates McGee! Her phone!" He is impatient. "She'll feel its buzz."

"Right. I knew that."

He rolls his eyes at McGee before leaving his desk.

* * *

**11:40pm**

Tony ejects the last tape out of the VCR. Getting off the hard, metal chair, he stretches and rubs the back of his neck.

McGee knocks on the door, a small pile of tapes in his hands.

Tony opens the door with a paternal look.

"You've got to learn to sleep in your own bed at night, Timmy." Tony makes a 'tsk-ing' noise. "Otherwise all the other kids will laugh at you when they find out you aren't able to be by yourself."

"Okay Tony, enough." McGee is irritated and tired. "Gibbs told me to drops these off."

"But I already watched my portion."

"Well, you haven't watched these yet." McGee let's them fall on the table.

Tony wants to make a fuss so he makes a fuss.

"I've got something to do."

"So do I. Gibbs told me to call Abby."

"How about I call Abby for you?' Tony puts his arm around McGee and grabs the back of his neck sharply. "Let a friend help a friend."

"No Tony. Gibbs told me to call her. He wants you to watch these tapes."

Tony nods. He understands, but he still does not want to do it.

"I should be the one to call Abby."

"No Tony, she's already in my speed-dial. It's must faster if I call her."

"Oh…well she's in my speed-dial, too." Tony pats McGee's back aggressively.

"Ow!" McGee tries to get away, but Tony grabs a hold of him again. "Let go of me, Tony."

"Look!" Tony's eyes are fire. "I've got something very important I need to ask someone and you're behaving like a spoiled brat--"

"No I'm--"

"Let me finish!" Tony's hand tightens a bit more. "Why don't you get the tapes going and I'll be right back."

"I'm not falling again for that one, Tony." McGee's lips are tight.

"Either you trust me…or I'll tell Abby that you dream about her."

"I do not!"

"I heard you McCreepy. Last Tuesday you fell asleep at your desk."

"You're lying."

"I recorded it on my phone. I wouldn't test me if I were you."

"Alright!" McGee finally gives in. "I'll start the tapes, but you've got to come back as soon as you can otherwise Gibbs will find out."

"Don't worry, Probie." Tony grabs his suit jacket. "I wouldn't want to ruin your 'suck-up' streak with Gibbs. I'll be back in a few."

* * *

**11:53pm**

Tony knocks the little window of glass on the door to get her attention. When she notices him, she makes a comment to herself before opening the door.

"Tony, we're supposed to be viewing the surveillance tapes."

"Gibbs told McGee to handle the rest."

Ziva gives him a look. She knows he is lying.

"You finished?"

"Almost." She walks over to the TV to press pause.

"There's a pause button on the remote control."

"Yes, I am aware of that Tony." She is tense. "Is there a reason for you being here?"

He nods slightly while reviewing the words in his head. He wants not to fail at this attempt he seldom offers.

"I want to…offer you an apology."

"Do I have to take it?" She asks.

"Well, I'd like it if you did." He clears his throat. "I would have been there if I--"

"Weren't so busy with what's her name? Oh, Ava, was it?"

"Come on Ziva, there wasn't anybody at my apartment the other night."

She makes a nonchalant face while shrugging. A few incoherent sounds escapes her.

"I'm being honest." His eyes light up; a crooked smirk on his face. "The only Ava I know has the last name Gardener."

"I do not need to know her last name Tony!"

"No, Ziva--listen. She's not a real woman…well she is a real woman…" His mind wonders. "…A real beautiful…beautiful…beautiful, real woman…"

"Alright Tony, I get it. She's a hootie."

"Hottie." He corrects her.

He catches her pain stricken face.

"She's a movie star, Ziva. I was by myself that night." He begins again. "I was watching an AMC special…old Hollywood…black and white, a little bit of color." He stomps his foot to bring him back to the point of this meeting. "I misplaced my phone and then I overslept. I didn't ignore your call because I wanted to be a jerk about things."

She stands there listening. Her arms are cross over her chest.

"I'm not that bad of a partner, Ziva. I would help you or anyone else if it meant helping a friend or a partner…"

"Or a lover?"

His face is flush now. The palms of his hands feel cool and wet; sweaty. He feels his heart skip three or four beats quickly.

There are loud footsteps outside of the room.

"Gibbs." Ziva says when she sees him standing in the door frame.

Gibbs looks to Tony who tries to cover his emotions.

Ziva feels a slight fear in the pit of her stomach. The situation looks and feels eerie.

Gibbs looks to his feet and swallows. Taking a moment to keep his feelings in check, he looks up with the same pair of professional eyes his team knows all too well.

"It was Methanol that killed the man in our elevator." He says. "A stab under his left arm."

"Looks like we're right back at square one."

"Abby--" Gibbs's voice cracks uncontrollably. "Abby found something in the pocket of the pants he was wearing."

"He a Officer, too?" Tony asks.

Gibbs nods slightly; his gaze not sure where to fall.

Tony is making him nervous.

Ziva is breaking his heart.

"DiNozzo!" He finally snaps. His anger seeping through his voice. "Don't just stand there, get McGee for another stakeout."

"Aw boss--"

"At the Navy Yard this time."

"Yes!" Tony pumps his fist.

"I'll see if I can lend Abby a hand…" Ziva says.

"You're with Tony and McGee." He tells her.

She stops in her tracks and turns around.

"I think it would be better if I--"

"It wasn't a choice, Ziva. You're with Tony and McGee."

He stares at her; his face blank.


	8. Chapter 8: Inside the Navy Yard

**Chapter 8**

**Navy Yard  
12:15am**

Ziva opens her eyes and her ears. Her instincts are in full-swing.

Tony knocks back a few Milk Duds; his attention in limbo.

McGee pounds away on his cell phone. He covers the entire floor plan of the Navy Yard in hopes of finding a lead big enough to crack this case.

"If Justice was anything these days you would've been in prison by now." Tony begins his usual knack of annoyance.

"Shut up Tony." McGee is quick to answer. "If you could only understand the process and eliminations of firewall through the world wide web, you'd do the same thing."

Ziva begins to smile. She secretly enjoys these interactions with the two men.

"Right…well, I…" Tony is stumped. "It's illegal!"

"We're the Navy. We have the righter way over any other agency."

"Do we?"

"Well--it's too late to split hairs."

Tony's annoyance finally gets to McGee, while Tony uses his tongue to try and pry off the strings of caramel stuck to his teeth.

"Those are fattening aren't they, Tony?" Ziva questions.

"They could be for your average person, but I'm a Federal Agent."

"Do you not have fat cells?" She looks at him.

"Well…" He decides to change the game play a bit. "Would you like to find out?"

McGee shifts uncomfortably in the backseat.

"Yes."

The Milk Dud box slips from Tony's hands. When he reaches down to try and save its contents from spilling out, Ziva's hand grabs it for him.

"This is…" He is at a loss because of the location of her hand.

"Not what you expected?" Ziva waits; a hint of a smile on her lips.

"Not so soon." Tony's voice is smooth.

Ziva pulls her hand back into her personal space with his box of candy nestled in her fist.

"It was a joke." Tony feels unsure of how she processed his comment. "I mean it."

McGee's ears linger closer to the action that is taking place in front of him. He wonders why there is a slight shift in Tony's tone of voice.

"We're on a stakeout, Tony. No more candy."

He nods and focuses his attention out his own window.

McGee shifts uncomfortably again while looking back at his cell phone screen.

* * *

**NCIS HQ  
1:20am**

"What have ya got, Abs?"

Gibbs glides through the opening of her lab with a tall, chilled cup of Caf-Pow. He places it on her lab table while she presents a crumpled shirt to him.

"What's this?"

"A shirt, come on Gibbs I know it's early and you're old…er…" She catches the offense in his eyes. "…Anyway, so it's a shirt."

"Why is this important?"

"It was found on the poor man in our elevator."

"…And…?"

"Boy, you don't waste time do you?"

"Abby!"

She salutes him before turning to her computer to present even more information to him.

"So we know Methanol was used to kill these two Officers, but we were at a loss as to 'Who Dun It'."

"Were?" He is near her computer desk now.

"I found cleaner traces on the man's shirt. A few drops here and there, but just enough to test them.

"Cleaner ?"

"Yeah. You know, Pinesol, Tilex, Lysol--"

"Why would he be using those in uniform?" He asks out loud.

Abby stands there and thinks. When she arrives to a conclusion, she notices he is gone.

"My he is spry." She grins.

* * *

**Navy Yard  
1:35a.m**

Ziva pops the passenger door open while drawing her gun.

Tony and McGee exit the vehicle at the same time.

As McGee stuffs his cell phone in his pocket, Tony's cell rings.

"It's the janitor." Gibbs says into the phone.

"We just saw him enter the yard. We're on him." Tony reports.

"I'm on my way."

Gibbs shuts his phone while slamming shut the bottom drawer of his work desk.

* * *

**1:42a.m.**

Gibbs meets up with his three Agents. All four stand around with their guns in their hands.

"Where is he?!" Gibbs is somewhat rampant.

"We saw him go in, but once we were inside, we lost him." Tony explains.

"Did you ask personnel?" Gibbs asks.

"They say he's not the only janitor on duty."

Gibbs turns around, then spins around in the other direction.

"Is there a floor plan to this place?"

"Right here boss." McGee hands him the phone.

"What am I looking at?"

"Five departments. Shipyard, Historic Core, Corporate Center, Research Park, and an area for future developments."

"By the time we find him, he'll be gone."

"Assuming he is actually here--"

"Now's not the time, DiNozzo!" He shouts in his face.

"Five departments, four Agents." Ziva tries to steady the air around them. "We each take one. If we find nothing, we head in the direction of the new development area."

"Suppose we do find him?" Tony asks. "We lack ear-pieces."

"That's just the chance we'll have to take." Gibbs says. "Let's go, now!"

"Where to boss?" Tony waits for further instructions.

Gibbs sighs. "Ziva, Corporate Center, McGee, Historic Core, Tony, Research Park--and I'll take the Shipyard."

All for Agents split from each other; their guns in front of them.


	9. Chapter 9: Trouble

**Chapter 9**

_The Following Day -- The Search Continues_

**6:05p.m**.

Ziva instructs several workers to vacate their working areas. Their computers buzz as the fans inside of them circulates.

The Corporate Center is stuffed full of wires, papers, fax machines, pens, pencils, computers, folders, bulletin boards, post-its, and wheel-y chairs.

She holds her gun tightly as her eyes search frantically for any means of escape the murderer might have taken.

* * *

**6:17p.m.**

Tony makes goggle-y eyes at the amount of books scattered around the library-like facility. He notices the Navy personnel hard at work.

He slightly feels sorry for them. Much of the workers on this end spend the majority of their time with their noses buried in books.

The temptation to win over a few females in the room skitter across his mind, but he knows he should stick to the case.

That's what the government pays him for after-all.

* * *

**6:31p.m**

The sun is setting straight ahead. The men and women that operate the Shipyard are packing their belongings for it is the end of their shift.

Gibbs feels a slight breeze behind him. Whipping around he holds his gun trained on a pigeon that decided to land on a wooden stoop.

He rolls his eyes and shakes his free hand in the general area of the bird. The bird flaps its winds as it makes a sound.

Gibbs begins to walk, but he feels another breeze. Stopping with one foot in front of the other, he waits while he listens.

* * *

**6:48p.m.**

McGee phones Tony as he peers through the large in-door windows of the Research Park.

"Probie we're in the middle of tracking a murderer!"

"Is that why you're leaning against a bookshelf fingering through books that contain words you've probably never even seen before?"

Tony straightens himself as his fingers fall from the books.

"Nobody likes a spy, Probie." He looks around for his partner. "Gibbs catches us and we're dead!" He says into the phone while he motions a 'knife to his throat' signal in McGee's direction.

"Take it easy." McGee walks casually into the Park. "I've got to make a stop at the Men's room--"

"Rashes again?"

McGee's face falls into a glare.

"Maybe you should see a doctor."

"Alright Tony enough of your insults. Just alert the others if they pass through here."

"I will not!" He shifts one eyebrow. "Do you want me to get my ass kicked because of you?"

"It'd be the first time."

"Never gonna happen Probie. Besides, we're supposed to head to the F-D department."

"F-D?"

"Future Development. Come on! Work with me, Probie!" He says quickly. "Take care of your business and meet me there."

"Yes, Tony." McGee tosses as he finds his way into the Men's room.

* * *

**7:00p.m.**

The boards of the shipyard creak with every step Gibbs takes. He curses the boards beneath his feet, but he appreciates the water and it's view from where he is standing.

Search lights come on. They circle around in their usual way as the night-time ritual begins.

Through the side of his right eye he catches something glisten. Turning his head a bit, he squints; his poor eye-sight beginning to take place.

The light from the fallen sun touches the silver of a rectangular box.

Stepping closer, he keeps his gun pointed at the object.

The air around him is dead. The slight breeze that once blew around him is suddenly gone.

"NCIS!" Gibbs yells his identity. "Come out with your hands up!"

Nothing moves, not even the air.

He continues to approach the flickering light that rides left and right on the silver object.

Squinting again he notices a bucket and a mop. Putting his gun down and showing a face of slight foolishness, he takes a moment to himself. Once he is through, he attacks the cart with his hands until he uncovers three bottles of anti-freeze.

The look in his eyes intensify.

* * *

**7:14p.m.**

Running past the front of the tower, the search lights follow his figure seconds behind. He rushes up the walkway of the entry and pounds on the secure door.

Security shows his face through the tiny window on the door.

"NCIS!" Gibbs flashes his badge.

The security guard opens the door and stands there for further inquiry.

"There's a cleaning cart on your dock--who does it belong to?" Gibbs can hear himself shouting.

"Jeffery Dommers, why?"

"Where'd he go?!" Gibbs is fierce.

"Ten minutes ago he said he'd be right back."

"Any idea where he could have gone?"

"Bathroom, cafeteria…" The guard shrugs.

Without a thanks, Gibbs flee's the scene.

* * *

**7:28p.m.**

"Tony!" Ziva calls for him as she notices him from behind.

"Are you and McGee trying to get me fired?" He doesn't wait for an answer as he begins his made-up scenario. "I bet it was a plan from the start. Finish your respected areas with a less than thorough yet thoughtful search and then hightail it to DiNozzo. That's me!" He points to his face with his two fingers. "Then boss man finds out that we're together instead of meeting at the F-D department--"

"F-D?" Ziva cuts him off

He stares at her and wonders why she look as if everything else he said wasn't important or worth a decent listen.

"…Future Developments." He says flatly.

"Oh." She goes along with him. "Let's get McGee and find Gibbs."

"Probie's taking a potty break--a long one at that…" His eyebrows knit. "Been gone at least ten minutes."

"Ten minutes and you couldn't find Future Developments?"

"I don't have a map." He argues defensively.

Ziva points to a grid lit up in the center of the area they are in.

"I knew that." He says somewhat lowly.

Ziva grins at his lie, but does not say anything more.

The shrill of Tony's phone snaps them both out of their comfortable silence.

"It's Gibbs, don't make him a sound. I don't want him knowing you're here and if McGee shows up behind me, shoot him before he opens his mouth."

"Tony!"

"You don't have to kill him!"

"Tony!"

"Okay! A hand signal will most likely silence him."

"Answer the phone!"

Her voice is loud and it draws the attention of a few workers and visitors.

"Tony Di--"

"Get to the cafeteria!"

"Which one?" Tony eyes the grid-map lit in front of him. "There's like five of them."

"All of them!" Gibbs catches his breath. "I'm scoping out the bathrooms."

Tony wants to ask him why, but he knows better.

"McGee's in the bathroom…one of them at least. Want me to call him?"

"Don't worry about him, just get to the cafeteria's."

Tony waits for further instructions , but his line goes dead.

Within seconds Ziva's cell phone ring pierces the air with a steel knife.

"Deaf, are we?" Tony rudely questions before fleeing the scene.

"Ziva, it's Gibbs."

She wait's a moment as she thinks about his introduction. He very seldom politely introduced himself when taking to his team members.

"I don't want to take any chances. Cover the women bathrooms."

"You've found our suspect?"

"It's likely." He pants. "Go!"

She follows her orders as soon as her cell phone reaches the clip at her side.

* * *

**8:01p.m.**

Gibbs reaches for his cell phone and dials the number to the last Agent he hired for his team; McGee.

The ringing of the phone sends jolts to the pit of his stomach when he realizes McGee isn't going to answer.

He can't answer.

McGee's in trouble.


	10. Chapter 10: Text Messages

**CHAPTER 10**

**Navy Yard****  
Men's Room  
8:08p.m**

The coolness of the tiled wall penetrates through McGee's pricey suit jacket. The cold sweat that forms at his brow balances itself on the brim of his eyebrows.

Jeffery Dommers is standing before him. His fist held tightly as a needle protrudes through both opening ends.

McGee inhales sharply, but silently as he tries to find a way to pick his gun off the floor.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you…" Jeffery's eyes boil with red.

McGee stills his hand and silently hopes for any means of rescue.

* * *

**8:17p.m.**

Gibbs's jacket swooshes behind him while he heads to the last men's bathroom.

He holds his breath. His back presses against the wall. His gun is gripped tight in his hand as his mind reels with ways of getting inside without anything happening to his Agent.

An employee is at the end of the hallway. Gibbs raises his finger to his lips to indicate to the employee that something isn't kosher.

The employee nods while escaping for a means of paper and pen. After several moments he returns and quietly hands it to Gibbs.

Gibbs nods and sends the employee with the piece of paper on its way.

* * *

**8:30p.m.**

"Think about it--okay, Jeffery?" McGee tries to speak with the enraged man before him. "If you kill me you'll be killing a Federal Agent and I don't think you want to know what's the price or doing something like that."

"Shut up!" He growls. "You sound like them, but you don't look like them."

McGee knits his eyebrows.

"I don't follow."

"Them…those…monsters." His eyes brim with tears. "They're all the same."

"Calm down and explain." McGee lowers his arms as they had been over his head for too long. "I'm not going to try anything--my arms are just tired."

Jeffery accepts this.

"She left me."

"Who did?" McGee questioned.

His shoulders slump as he walks over to the heater and sits on it.

"My wife." He grits his teeth. "For them."

"There's better ways of handling something like this." McGee begins. "I can't believe I'm about to say this from lack of experience, but there's plenty of other women out there."

"I don't want any other woman. I want what's mine."

* * *

**8:43p.m.**

In the hallway, Gibbs opens his phone and sends a silent text to Tony's phone. After the phone notifies him that it has been sent, he tries for Ziva with a separate urgent message.

* * *

**NCIS HQ  
****Abby's Lab  
8:47p.m.**

Abby drops her camera when she hears the shrill of the phone. So much for taking pictures of yet another new computer.

"Tony oh my god is Gibbs okay? And Ziva?"

"It's Mcgee" He manages to say.

"MCGEE?!" Her stomach lurches forward. "What can I do?"

"I need you to run a background check on Jeffery Dommers."

"Is McGee going to be okay?" She is in fear.

"He'll be fine if you do what I just told you to do as quickly as you can."

"What am I looking for?" Her fingers are already on the keys.

"He works in the Navy Yard as a janitor so search our database first."

"Right--anything else?" She stills her fingers for a minute.

"Find out if he's got a wife and where she's located."

"Done."

"And when you find the information be sure to send me a message--don't call. We're in a tight situation here."

She agrees, then hangs up her phone.

"Damn it McGee…" She looks longingly at his photo taped to her desk.

* * *

**Navy Yard  
Broiler Room  
8:59p.m.**

Tony is following Ziva while Ziva is following Gibbs.

"There." Gibbs points to the crawl-space vent a few inches higher than him.

Tony stops to take a look as Ziva grabs for the nearest box.

"Maybe I should do this." Tony interjects.

"Why?" She is curious.

"I've seen enough bank robberies in movies to see how it's done."

"Movies aren't real life, Tony." She is slightly annoyed.

"Let me--" He puts his hand on the box, ready to take it from her.

"It's a tight squeeze." Gibbs tells Tony. "Ziva's the only one that can do it."

Tony is about to protest, but he sees the seriousness in Gibbs's eyes.

Ziva smirks knowingly in Tony's direction before she puts the box down in front of the vent.

"It won't hold." Gibbs rips the box away before she puts her foot on top of it. "DiNozzo, get over here and hoist her up."

"What is this 'hoisting'?" Ziva is slightly alarmed and confused.

"He's gonna lift you up." Gibbs tells her.

Tony's eyes begin dancing as he considers what an experience it will be.

Gibbs notices his reaction and whacks him on the back of the head.

"If you try anything she is liable to kill you." Gibbs reminds him. "Get to it!"

Tony's grin falls flat within seconds.

* * *

**Navy Yard****  
Men's Room  
9:13p.m.**

McGee listens as the crazy man in front of him carries on.

"She left--"

"Yeah, I got that." McGee is tired of hearing the same cry.

"Well good!" He snaps as he makes an advance to McGee.

McGee holds his breath as he sees the tip of the needle glisten.

* * *

**Navy Yard  
Broiler Room  
9: 15p.m**

"Do you want me to kill him?" Ziva asks.

"No." Gibbs slightly shakes his head in amusement. "Once you're over the Men's room remove part of the ceiling as silently as you can. Once its off make some noise--loud, so we can hear it."

"Then what?"

"Then DiNozzo and I will will bust through the door and point our guns at him."

She nods before she begins her journey through the vents.

Gibbs notices Tony staring at her rear end. His insides turn to slight jealous rage, but he tames it slightly before he delivers another whack to the back of his head.

Tony sheepishly looks at Gibbs.

"I'm trying."

"No. You aren't." His face is without amusement. "Respect the people you work with."

Tony's face grows into a serious expression as he lets Gibbs's words sink in.

"Come on, DiNozzo." His voice is a tired sigh.

Tony walks obediently behind Gibbs.

* * *

**Navy Yard  
9:23p.m**

Tony feels the buzz of his cell phone. Taking it out of his pocket, he reads Abby's message.

Handing it to Gibbs he lets him read it quickly.

Inside the enraged man is continuing his intense babbles about what his wife did to him.

Tony looks at Gibbs to see any slight emotions developed.

Gibbs shoots him a look that tells him if he as so much as continues to wonder about his many divorces, he would hurt him with or without repair.

* * *

**9:43p.m**

Ziva quietly shuffles back a bit as she notices two men inside a bathroom. Squinting, she notices McGee pressed against the wall while their killer paces back and forth.

Looking more closely she notices a needle in his hand.

Taking out her cell phone she texts Gibbs immediately.

* * *

**9:45p.m.**

Gibbs hears the buzzing of the phone, but does not feel it.

Tony shrugs to let him know it isn't his time time.

Reaching for his pocket, Gibbs rips his cell phone quickly out of his pocket. Flipping it over he reads Ziva's message.

Flashing the screen to Tony, he lets him read.

* * *

**9:48p.m**

Ziva lifts a piece of the ceiling out as quickly as she was told to do.

McGee notices a whole in the ceiling where he is standing.

He quickly inhales.

"What?" Jeffery demands to know.

"Nothing, I'm just growing a bit restless."

"Am I boring you?" He angrily asks.

"No, of course not!" McGee says almost too quickly. "Please, continue."

Jeffery eyes him suspiciously now. He stops walking towards him and studies him.

"You seem much more relieved than you did moments ago."

"It's been quite a while since I've been in here. Maybe I'm growing use to you." McGee tries to divert his attention. "Isn't this what you want?"

"What do you mean?"

"Someone who will listen to you. Someone who will try and understand you."

Jeffery squints when the beads of sweat fall into his eyes.

"Yes." He admits through clenched teeth.

* * *

**10:05p.m**

The sound of pounding on thin metal echoes through the men's room. In a matter of seconds Gibbs and Tony are aiming their guns at Jeffery. Gibbs at a diagonal angle and Tony on his back.

"I wouldn't try anything right about now." Tony steps into his 'super' and 'very' Special Agent mode. "You're under arrest for the murders of several Navy Officers.

"You can't do this to me!!!" Jeffery tries to fight Tony's cuffs off. "I've got a wife and kids."

"No kids and you wife's been dead for a year." Gibbs says to him.

Jeffery's face pales.

"You didn't know." Gibbs states when he realizes the shock in his eyes. "A hit and run….only a few minutes away from her home."

Jeffery shatters at the news.

Tony holds him up and drags him out in handcuffs.

Ziva hops down from the Vent and lands standing behind Gibbs.

Turning around he notices her.

"Good work Officer David." He says formally.

"Thank you…Agent Gibbs." She clears her throat.

McGee walks over to them with a relieved look on his face.

"Are you okay?" Ziva asks.

"Yeah, just a little shaken up." He sighs. "Sorry boss, I should have known better."

"Not your fault. You can't stop nature." He looks at McGee. "Work on your timing, though."

He leaves them both with a smirk.

"How does that make sense?" Ziva wonders.

"How many times does Gibbs make sense when it's outside of a case?"

Ziva nods with a smirk of her own.

"Exactly." McGee says while they both exit the room.


	11. Chapter 11: Developments

**CHAPTER 11**

**NCIS HQ  
11:15p.m**

Ziva is deep in thought; her hand resting on her computer mouse.

McGee is rapidly checking his email for any contacts from a special gaming friend.

Tony rests with his head back and his feet on top his desk.

"Probie, what's the deal?"

"Stop it Tony." He says quickly.

"She'll never be yours unless you take a chance."

"Excuse me, but the way of relationships is not based on owning the other person." Ziva says more to McGee than to Tony. "Listen to your instincts.

"Wrong move!" Tony exclaims before sitting properly in his chair. "And how would you know about factors of a relationship, Officer David?"

She catches the playful leer, but her mind is a mixture of thoughts.

"Shouldn't you be asking yourself that question?" McGee gives him a smug look.

"Tend to your peasants or fairies…or witches--or whatever, you Elf Lord."

McGee opens his mouth, but decides to forget about it.

Gibbs strolls in--his stride is as always. Strong, well-formed, and leaking with authority.

"Meeting on Monday morning." He informs his team.

"Meeting? 'Bout what, boss?" Tony questions.

"Sexual harassment." He looks directly at DiNozzo.

"Yeah--Monday's not good for me."

"Those who fail to attend could be considered for deployment and/or permanent termination."

"Monday's are good--I love Monday's!" He quickly changes his attitude.

"I hate those things." McGee begins to whine. "The last time they pulled me for a demonstration and I nearly got shot--with my own gun!"

"Should have watched where you put your hands, Probie."

"I did--I watched them so much I pushed myself into nervousness…and when I get nervous..."

"Should have left it to the pros." Tony rolls up his sleeves like a big shot. "Somebody like Me…Magnum P.I…Gibbs."

"Leave me out of it, DiNozzo." Gibbs mutters as he reviews the case on his desk. "Classified as a hate crime by all?" He looks at his three team members for any protest--there is none. "Hate crime it is."

"What kind of whack-job goes on a killing rampage in this form?"

"That's the work of a nut-job." Gibbs shuffles the papers against his desk. "You don't have to understand it, but you can accept it."

Tony played with the idea before taking a seat at his desk again.

Pushing himself away from his desk, Gibbs grabs a hold of the report before climbing the stairs to their director's office.

* * *

**11:30p.m.**

"McGee, go home." Gibbs orders him.

"Yes, boss." He quickly logs out of his email and powers down his computer.

"And thanks."

McGee stops with his bag over his shoulders.

"Uh…er, for what boss?"

"Texting."

"Texting?" McGee can not stop his grin. "No problem, boss."

"They grow up so fast…" Tony pretends to have a tear in his eyes as he looks at tech-deprived Gibbs

"Kind of sad how you're still falling behind." Gibbs tosses in Tony's direction with a smirk. "Good work." He tells McGee

"See you Monday, boss."

McGee quickly says his goodbye to Tony and Ziva.

Gibbs is at his desk once again. He is fixing things on his desk that do not need any fixing at tall. His shoulders are tense and he keeps stretching his neck around as if he has a stiff neck.

Ziva can cut the air with a knife. It is thick and Smokey--dim and heated.

Tony plays with the buttons on his laptop.

A "ding' can be heard to all of their ears.

Gibbs makes no move to check his computer--he seldom does.

Ziva knows it is not her. She uses her mouse to click open her email. Once there she sees a short message from Tony.

Looking across at him, she sees his pleasant smile.

It's the same smile that gives him attention from a wide selection of a women and the same smile that makes Gibbs's gut twist with annoyance and slight hatred.

"Anything on your mind, DiNozzo?"

Tony's fingers go still while Ziva intakes a sharp breath of air.

"It's nothing boss, I just decided to have a little fun."

Gibbs does not buy it, but he pretends to.

Ziva shakes her head quickly at Tony to show him she disapproves of his little game.

"Ziva?"

She looks at Gibbs with confusion.

"Anything on your mind?" He wait's a moment.

"No." She clears her throat. "May I go home?"

"We've got no work for the rest of the night or the weekend--'less something turns up."

"Very well, then,"

She logs out of her email after deleting Tony's message. Getting up from her chair, she reaches for her bag and her weird hat.

As she walks her steps grow slower which sends signals to both men.

"See you Monday." They both say at the same time.

"Errors on your report, DiNozzo." Gibbs stands from his seat.

"Now?" Tony is in disbelief. "You just gave it the director."

"Each of ours, but yours had errors--fix them."

Tony stares at him.

"NOW, DINOZZO!" Gibbs shouts.

"Alright, I'm fixing them!"

Tony stabs his keys with the tips of his fingers.

A smirk escapes Gibbs before he turns around to leave.

* * *

**Ziva's Apartment  
1 a.m.**

Gibbs paces the hallway in front of Ziva's apartment. His hand tries to knock once more, but his fist is forced away by an invisible ring of fire.

His stomach is in his throat and his heart is in his head. It depicts the good and the bad to him. A relationship with Ziva could be bliss at times, but other times their differences could prevent either of doing their job.

He is against relationships in the workplace. He is sure of it, but a part of him questions that sureness to the point of silent, but contrived rage.

A rage big enough to attack the wooden door in front of him.

* * *

She stands there before him; her eyes large and somewhat surprised.

"Gibbs, is anything wrong?"

"Something's always wrong." He falls silent and slightly rocks back and forth on his heels. "Can I come in?"

She steps away from the opening and lets him inside.

He walks a few more inches in before turning around to face her.

He packs her up into her door until it shuts--an act only done to give them privacy.

Her heart is racing--and he knows this, but he backs away.

"I'm just going to…" His breath catches in his throat. "Ziva, I don't know how to say this…"

"Yes, I know. You are the silent type."

A tiny smile spreads across his lips.

"I've very much that way…really. I know sometimes I become unbarnical--"

"Bearable." He corrects her.

"…unbearable…when Tony and I get to talking in the office, but--"

"Don't say that…" His voice is somewhat pained. "Tony…don't speak about him…not here, not now."

She sighs--slightly irritated.

"What is going on, Gibbs? Tell me." She is angry for her own confusion. "The only way for me to know is for you to speak…for you to talk to me."

"I have feelings for you Ziva. Real, honest…feelings and…" He leaves her to wander around her apartment. "I don't know how to handle it, alright? Things are different."

"I don't understand." She nearly shrugs.

"I don't know how to…see the thing is…" He slams his fist against a wall in her apartment. "I just…what I mean is…"

"Is it Tony?"

"It's everything." He riddles himself with unspeakable doubts.

"How?"

"I can't explain."

"Then leave." She snaps. "Get out!"

He stares back at her with intensity in his eyes.

"NOW! GET OUT!" She roars in the same tone of voice he would use in the office.

"Don't make me, Ziva." His eyes grow darker. "Don't shove me away. Not after I just admitted…this…to you."

"I can't understand your giving and your taking."

"What?"

"You admit your feelings, but you still keep things from me."

"Four marriages, Ziva." He reminds her. "Let the first one slide, but the other three…that doesn't make my resume sparkle."

"Neither does your attitude--what's your point?"

"Do you honestly think I'm suitable?"

"If you don't care to find out perhaps Tony is man enough now to give it a try."

He grinds his teeth together.

"Well?" She waits.

He approaches her, but doesn't touch her.

"We're going to do this properly."

She waits with some excitement as he kisses the side of her face.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow evening. Be casual."

He gives her an honest smile.

She mirrors it back to him.

* * *

Deep in the shadows, under the trees, and near the sidewalk Tony sits in his parked car.

His eyes burn holes into the side of Gibbs's car as he stares it down.

His eyes burn with unshed tears; the events of the completed case run laps through his mind.

Gibbs knew what he was doing. He knew how to push Tony. He knew how to belittle him. He knew how much Tony looked up to him for guidance and protection.

He swallows; his mouth tastes stale.

His head throbs; his face pale.

Gibbs jogs down the steps that are attached to Ziva's apartment building. The wind shifts his neatly cut grey strands as he looks both ways before crossing the street.

Tony grips the steering wheel; his knuckles turning white.

Gibbs reaches his car--an extra swag to his step. He feels good--a kind of good he seldom ever felt anymore.

Tony's world grows darker. His eyes grow deeper, darker--they burn with emotions.

He peels out of his parking spot.

The _pressure_ weighs on his heart as he runs a stop light.

_**Fin.**_

_**----------**_**  
Author's Note:** _Hey everybody, just here to say that I appreciate all the reviews you've left for me. I've read every single one of them as I recieve them. It's rather nice getting feedback opposed to the days in another fanbase where I seldom recieved any. Hope I can come up with some more ideas for future NCIS fics and hopefully I only get better as time progresses. Thank you again.__**  
----------**_


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